Archive for February 2007

Woman broadcasts a vision for helping her community heal
by Kay Miller
Minneapolis Star Tribune
02/24/07

Martha Fast Horse was in despair after eight young people were killed in Indian gang violence in 2004 at the Little Earth of United Tribes housing project in Minneapolis. Her son and daughter’s boyfriend were shot. A young family friend was murdered days after she counseled him to be hopeful. “I remember driving home from the hospital and praying to my [deceased] grandfather, ‘I’ll do anything to make a difference in the lives of our young people.’ “

A year ago, the mother of nine founded Fast Horse Productions, an American Indian-owned radio, TV and video production company whose “Wolf Spirit” cable access talk show features uplifting stories about Indian youths, storytellers, recording artists, educators and community leaders. >>>http://www.startribune.com/389/story/1013505.html
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Verizon to provide cable TV in Richmond
City Council approves service; firm agrees to a quicker buildout
by Michael Martz
Richmond Times-Dispatch
02/27/08

Today, on Tarpon Springs TV: zip
While neighboring cities are broadcasting their meetings online and on TV, Tarpon Springs is fiddling with VHS tapes.
by Robin Stein
St. Petersburg Times
02/27/07

>>> The meeting will air on Channel 15 – once, in the doldrums of Wednesday afternoon, opposite One Life to Live and Family Feud. The gavel-to-gavel coverage will play through a single time before the stagnant blue screen returns – and remains until next week. Channel 15’s dismal lineup has not gone unnoticed in City Hall, but there are few signs of imminent change.

The most vocal proponent of expanding the city’s television presence has been Commissioner Peter Dalacos. Since he joined the Board in 2004, Dalacos has been arguing that the city should capitalize on our “channel flipping culture” to bolster public access and participation. Now the issue is a central part of his platform for re-election. >>>http://www.sptimes.com/2007/02/27/Northpinellas/Today__on_Tarpon_Spri.shtml
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Steve Anderson of the Center for Information Awareness (http://www.coanews.org ) in Canada has been testing a new non-profit video-sharing social-networking site started by Free Speech TV in Boulder, Colo. He writes:

“Hi all, I just wanted to let everyone know that FreeSpeechTV has launched a non-profit myspace style online community. See it here: http://community.freespeech.org “This is important since it provides a non-commercial alternative to Fox/Myspace, google, yahoo etc… The corporate social networking communities for the most part invade your privacy, and slam ads in your face at every turn. I’ve transfered my main blog to the FSTV platform, and I’ve suggested to students and everyone else who uses one of the corporate platforms, make the switch. >>>http://newshare.typepad.com/mgp2006/2007/02/steve_anderson_.html
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Community Is Key to Participation in Citizen Media
by Mark Glaser
MediaShift
02/26/07

>>> Howard Owens reminds us that user-generated content should be viewed as part of a conversation rather than strictly as journalism. “I firmly believe that many people just want to have their say and make their contribution because they feel compelled to share what they know,” Owens wrote on his blog . “I think this is good for society. I think there is real value in protecting, extending, expanding and nurturing the conversation.” >>>http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2007/02/your_take_roundupcommunity_is.html
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>>> Copyright law never envisioned a culture where millions of us are content creators who want to borrow, annotate and comment upon the culture. I asked Berman whether it was time to reform copyright laws to take into account the millions of us who want nothing more than to express our creativity in a noncommercial way in this new digital era, and whether he was open to listening to both sides of this issue in hearings before the House. >>>http://www.socialmedia.biz/2007/02/meeting_howard_.html
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As meaningful choice enters the cable TV market, the rules that have regulated existing cable monopolies are getting a fresh look. In Olympia, at least one proposal isn’t ready for prime time. Qwest Communications, which provides local telephone service in much of Washington, is backing a bill (SB 6003) that would move local oversight of cable and video franchises to the state Utilities and Transportation Commission. The idea is to “streamline” the regulatory process, thus making it easier for new competitors to enter the cable market.

Fortuna City Council to begin live broadcast of meetings on March 5
Eureka Reporter
02/26/2007

Beginning March 5, the city of Fortuna will be broadcasting its City Council meetings live on Access Humboldt’s cable television Channel 10, according to a city news release. The live coverage is one result of the latest franchise agreement between Suddenlink and local governments, including Humboldt County and the cities of Arcata, Blue Lake, Eureka, Ferndale, Fortuna and Rio Dell. >>>http://www.eurekareporter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?ArticleID=21018
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A Salinas Valley Spanish-radio and television pioneer known for the hat he wore with an old-fashioned tilt has died. Luz Cadena, one of the first to air music and stage concerts for campesinos in the late 1950s, died at his home in Salinas on Saturday after an extended period of ill health. He was 80. >>>

Barrera met Cadena 14 years ago when Barrera’s Alisal Betterment Association was first featured on “La Communidad,” a Spanish-language show Cadena hosted weekly on KMST, the public-access television station operated by the Monterey County Office of Education.http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/montereyherald/16792645.htm
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Westchester and Long Island: More Local Than Local News Gets
New York Times
by Adam Stone
02/25/07

>>> Last month, Ossining Village officials rankled gadflies when they decided to suspend the telecast during public comment periods for nonagenda items. It was a decision “to isolate themselves from both public information and public accountability,” complained Donald DeBerardinis, a regular at Ossining’s municipal meetings.

A cable licensing bill that could strip Tucson officials of their ability to negotiate a new license with Cox Communications passed in the state House of Representatives. The bill would amend a law enacted last year that reduces the number of public access stations cable companies are required to provide. It also would limit the fees that cities could charge for the use of their right of ways. >>>http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/local/43188.php
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We’ll be continually updating this page with videos related to Beyond Broadcast 2007. If you’ve produced something we should include here, just drop us an email at info@beyondbroadcast.net. You may also want to check out the complete audio and video coverage from Beyond Broadcast 2006. >>>http://www.beyondbroadcast.net/blog/?p=123
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Open access to public TV content sought
‘American Archive’ project would digitize public TV programming and make it available to the public for research and education
by Laura Devaney
eSchool News
02/26/07

The Association of Public Television Stations is spearheading a project that aims to digitize and preserve public TV programming. Under the plan, students, teachers, researchers, and others would have access to a vast digital archive of public TV content for research, education, and to create new digital works. >>>http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showStoryRSS.cfm?ArticleID=6879
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>>> The Greater Lawrence Public Health Bioterrorism Coalition, made up of health experts from Andover, North Andover, Methuen, Lawrence, Reading, North Reading and Lynnfield, is using federal funding to start the “Cover Your Cough.” It’s goal is to raise awareness about daily habits people can form to stop the spread of seasonal flu and, if needed, a more serious pandemic flu. >>> To supplement the campaign, health directors will be training municipal employees on seasonal flu and pandemic flu, and a video about coughing etiquette, called “Why Don’t We Do It in Our Sleeves,” will be shown on public access television. >>>http://www.eagletribune.com/punews/local_story_057094519
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Henry County TV channel will air in April
By Jaya Franklin
Henry Herald (GA)
02/25/07

>> The village is the ninth Westchester municipality to approve the Verizon FiOS offering, in an area largely dominated by Cablevision. Irvington, Ardsley, Dobbs Ferry, Tarrytown, Eastchester, Mount Kisco and Elmsford, and the Town of Greenburgh have also approved Verizon franchises. Under the village’s 10-year contract, Verizon is providing these inducements:

– Five percent of its gross revenues to the village’s general fund.
– Free cable in every public building and school in the village.
– A $65,000 grant in four installments and a one-time $21,000 grant.
– A public-access channel, educational-access channel and governmental-access channel.
– Money for the technology to air live broadcasts from Village Hall and the Port Chester Public Schools. >>>http://www.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070224/NEWS02/702240361/1018/NEWS02
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Candidates Night in Fairhaven, Freetown to be televised
By Brian Fraga
South Coast Today (MA)
02/26/07

>>> In Fairhaven, a local access cable channel is also sponsoring a candidates’ night on Thursday, planned for 7 p.m. at the Council on Aging senior center, 229 Huttleston Ave. >>> The Lions Club plans to tape the Freetown event as well and have it broadcast on local public access television.http://www.southcoasttoday.com/daily/02-07/02-26-07/07local.htm
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These dogs hope to have their day on TV
by Darrell Santschi
Press Enterprise (CA)
02/24/07

>>> This particular casting call, held by the Humane Society of San Bernardino Valley on Saturday, was aimed at finding dogs smart and athletic enough to weave their way through an obstacle course, tug on a stretch of rope, jump over a row of hurdles, fetch a tennis ball and race 50 yards. All of this to co-star in a 30-second cable television ad plugging the Humane Society’s fundraiser, the Walk for the Animals, on May 19 at Arrowhead Credit Union Park. >>>

This picture above was taken after the four of us on the left had just been released from jail. They are from the left Carolyn Coe, Mary Beth Sullivan, Mary Donnelly, me, and then our good friend Richard Rhames who was the first person to meet us as we left the jail. Richard is a vegetable farmer and Maine’s top public access TV activist who films most progressive events and then puts them on his TV show in Biddeford. He has a wonderful dry Maine sense of humor and is one of my favorite people in the state. >>>http://space4peace.blogspot.com/2007/02/which-side-are-you-on-tom.html
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TV Concerns
by Charles Cullen
Roanoke Times
02/23/07

>>> A couple of years ago my wife and I applied to co-host a Cox outdoors show (now known as “Inside the Outside,”) being avid fans of the outdoors and adventure travellers. We thought Roanoke’s outdoor scene as portrayed in the media could use a little kick in the pants in hopes of getting more people outside and bringing more folks to the Roanoke area to enjoy the outdoor offerings we have. I mentioned in the interview that if contracted for the show, I would like to “reach out to local celebrities like Charles Cullen” to join us on an episode or two to keep things interesting and attract viewers.

The interviewer, a Cox producer, almost fainted. She started preaching to us about how Charles Cullen was not the type of show Cox was proud of and that the only reason Charles Cullen was on Cox was that federal regulations required them to give independents free air time, and “assured” us that if they had any choice in the matter you would not be on the air, or something to that effect, I don’t recall the exact words. >>>http://www.roanoke.com/columnists/cullen/wb/wb/xp-105919
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There’s an old saying often said of wretched ink-stained scribes in print media: Don’t argue with someone who buys the black liquid by the barrel.
I suspect there is a similar saying about the swankier and higher-priced cable television world: Don’t even think of arguing with someone who controls the new media. Witnessing the legislative fight between City Hall and Cox Communications from my ringside seat, it looks like Cox has Tucson in a Hulk Hogan headlock. >>>http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/170839
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[ PEG access centers looking to extend their service to their communities, and engage more residents in community-based conversations, may want to consider “place blogging.” Here’s two reports of Lisa Williams’ presentation of the idea to public TV & radio types at last week’s Public Media conference. See placeblogger.com for more ideas. – rghm ]

“You have a community waiting to happen”
by JHD
PTPA Live
02/23/07

>>> As media consolidation has made regional and small town dailies more and more anemic, suburbanites and small city residents are feeling more and more ignored by traditional media, even their local hometown newspaper. Despite the attempts of large newspaper organizations to reach readers on-line, place blogs are cropping up all over the country. Almost 1 in 10 US communities have have placeblogs (we’re talking about small towns — that’s a lot of sites — go to http://www.placeblogger.com to check some of them out.) Lisa’s questions for us: “Why leave local on-line community to print? Where is the Digg of public media?” We don’t have to answer to a conglomerate. We have the local presence and personal connections. We have a community waiting to happen. Here are some other links to check out what some other non-profits are doing with social media >>>http://www.ptpalive.org/?p=172
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No News Is Good News in Watertown
by Andy Carvin
02/23/07

“So, you’re in Watertown – is there any news there?”
“No. If there were, I’d move.”

This is Lisa Williams recounting a conversation she had with someone during her talk about placeblogging. Lisa runs H2Otown, the successful community blog for Watertown, MA. Lisa is talking about local news and their reticence to work with local bloggers to cover what’s going on in a community. Media outlets get nervous with terms like “citizen journalism,” but they don’t realized there are groups of bloggers in communities who aren’t trying to be journalists, per se, but are still trying to create an online place where residents can come together and talk about their community: things that need to be fixed, road conditions, events and the like. Unless there’s breaking news in these communities, the media ignores them, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t lots of important things to talk about it. As Lisa puts it, “Why is it possible to know more about what’s going on in Indonesia than the East End?” As soon as you step out of the metro area of a given city, media coverage just evaporates. -andyhttp://www.andycarvin.com/archives/2007/02/no_news_is_good_news_in_watertown.html

Chad Vader Creators Take Lightsaber to Tom Still’s Assertions About Cutting Funding For Local Cable Access
by Barry Orton
Paul Soglin: Waxing America
02/23/07>>> As far as I knew, those “Chad Vader guys” started on local access, and still have a show. So I asked them what they thought of Still’s argument.

Sloan wrote me:

To take the success of two internet entrepreneurs and use that to make a case for gutting funding for public access stations is pretty shortsighted and frankly, dumb. (emphasis Waxing America) Public access stations strengthen communities and provide amateurs with the resources and the basic skills to learn film and television production, neither of which has anything to do with the Internet. You can’t be a successful filmmaker without networking and interacting with real live people and that is something that sitting in front of a web cam will never provide. The Internet revolution is amazing and it will change the world, but public access stations are still crucial in giving the community the resources to make the most of that revolution.

Videographer a public TV pioneer
by Chris Nichols
The Union Democrat
02/22/07

There is no typical day for Avery resident Paul Moeller, the longtime freelance videographer and co-founder of Calaveras Community Television. The 79-year-old’s busy filming schedule takes him across the county nearly every day, chronicling events and performances from local fairs to high school sports to traveling choirs. For the past 26 years, Moeller has done all his work for free. >>>http://www.uniondemocrat.com/news/story.cfm?story_no=22799
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The Cable Guys
Two stalwarts demonstrate what public-access television can do
By Dan Kennedy
Commonwealth
Winter 2007

It may not be etched in stone, but it’s a rule nonetheless: No one can write about public-access television without making reference to “Wayne’s World,” the Saturday Night Live skit—later a movie—about an access show starring two high-school-age stoners who prattle on about the heavy metal they can’t play and the sex they haven’t had. If you don’t believe me, try Googling “public access” and “Wayne’s World,” and you’ll see what I mean.

Not only that but you can’t even talk to people involved in access TV without the Mike Myers–Dana Carvey stereotype creeping in. That’s what I discovered when I set out to write this story about Joe Heisler, Chris Lovett, and Boston Neighborhood Network (BNN), the city’s public-access system. Heisler hosts a weekly political talk show. Lovett anchors a nightly newscast. Both they and their programs are well-regarded. But “Wayne’s World” hangs over the whole operation like a cloud. >>>http://www.massinc.org/index.php?id=618&pub_id=2057&bypass=1

Olympia’s Constitution in Crisis: The Case for Impeachment drew over 800 people, almost filling the Washington Center on Tuesday, February 20, 2007. Elizabeth de la Vega, David Lindorff and Ray McGovern made compelling arguments about the need to impeach Bush/Cheney. Each stressed that impeachment is necessary to restore the Constitution. >>> Deb Vinsel, Director of TCTV, the local public access TV station, moderated the event, including the panel discussion and the Q&A session. The tape will be aired on TCTV and hopefully will be posted on indymedia as well as other internet sites.http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2007/02/354524.shtml
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Media Minutes
Featured speakers/guests: Jeff Chester
02/22/07

State-by-state battles are shaping up over video franchising and net neutrality. A new book warns about a hypercommercialized digital media future. And Congress begins debate on legislation requiring ISPs to track their users. This (5 minute audio) program is free for all to air; many thanks to those who do!http://www.audioport.org/index.php?op=program-info&program_id=10113&nav=&
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Public-access cable would give citizens a voice
by Nadine Patterson
Letter to the Editor
Philadelphia Inquirer
02/23/07

Thank you for highlighting the ongoing struggle to obtain a public-access cable station in Philadelphia (“Dead air,” Feb. 6). In a multimedia world, citizen-run television and media literacy for all is essential. Cable television’s world of 500 channels has not fulfilled the promise of diversity and greater variety in terms of content. We have dozens of cooking channels, shopping channels, and entertainment channels. The C-SPANs of the cable world are few and far between. In places where there is public access, citizens gain insight into their community, learn new technological skills to make their own television, and gain a voice in the media landscape. The potential for good from public access far outweighs any negative. >>>http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/states/pennsylvania/counties/philadelphia_county/philadelphia/16762660.htm
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Cable competition pushed
Legislation touted as way to save consumers money
By Adriana Colinders
State Journal-Register
02/23/07

>>> One of the bill’s skeptics is Barbara Popovic, who represents a coalition called Keep Us Connected. She said her group favors increased cable competition, yet has reservations about the proposal unveiled Thursday. Coalition members – including nonprofit organizations, municipalities and public access television stations – are concerned that a company could opt to provide video service in some areas but not in others, she said. “How do you accomplish competition if everyone doesn’t have to be served?” asked Popovic, who works as executive director of Chicago Access Network Television. She said she also fears that Brosnahan’s bill could threaten the future of public-access stations. >>>http://www.sj-r.com/sections/news/stories/108495.asp
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Cable oversight bill advances in House
by Bill Cotterell
Florida Today
02/22/07

TALLAHASSEE – — Despite a plea by state Rep. Curtis Richardson and two prominent Tallahassee black leaders to slow down, and concerns over its impact on consumers, a House council Thursday approved a heavily lobbied plan that would let the state take over licensing of cable television franchises from city and county governments. Richardson joined former Leon County Commissioner Anita Davis, a longtime NAACP activist, and the Rev. R.B. Holmes in warning that the pending proposal, HB 529, might wind up limiting communication choices in poor neighborhoods. >>>http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070223/NEWS01/702230355/1006
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>>> After a short meeting with many of the cable franchise stakeholders and the two powerful legislators (Senator Curt Bramble and Representative Steve Urquhart) who happen to be on opposite sides of the cable franchise debate, it appears that a stalemate on the issue will be unavoidable. >>>http://ulctlegislative.blogspot.com/2007/02/telecom-stalemate-and-eminent-domain.html
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Davis Media Access new name for Davis media center
by Autumn Labbe-Renault
Indybay
02/22/07

DAVIS, CA–Davis Community Television (DCTV), which operates public access channel 15 on the Comcast cable system and low-power radio station KDRT 101.5 FM—announced a new name for the media
organization. Henceforth, the organization will be called Davis Media Access (DMA). >>>http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/02/22/18367302.php
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Review of Cox cable franchise urged
Price, service are issues in St. Charles
by Matt Scallan
Times-Picayune
02/23/07

Beset by complaints about changes in cable television service in St. Charles Parish, the Parish Council on Monday will consider forming a committee to review its franchise agreement with Cox Communications as well as a resolution urging the administration of parish President Albert Laque to actively seek competition for the company. >>> As part of the agreement, Cox allocates two public access channels to the parish, one for parish government and one for the School Board, and provides employees and equipment to videotape parish meetings. >>>http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/metro/index.ssf?/base/news-19/1172212822171540.xml&coll=1
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“Please watch this amazing video by Amanda Baggs, a videoblogger who is classified by her doctors as a “low-functioning autistic.” She is unable to talk and appears to be totally disconnected from the rest of the world, but she is extraordinarily eloquent and descriptive of her insular world when given a computer keyboard through which to communicate.

“This video, which she shot, edited and posted on YouTube under her online name SilentMiaow, begins with several minutes of her doing repetitive actions and making chant-like noises – things that non-austic people might describe as stereotypical of people with austism. It has an eerie, performance-art quality to it – until you get to the second half, when you see her translating and interpretating what you’ve just seen, explaining her actions’ meaning through the use of a computer-synthesized voice. The video inspired CNN to do a special on her tonight. She’s also an active user of Second Life, and has an avatar that looks and acts like a low-functioning autistic person.

“Her blogcaptures just how eloquent she is as a communicator when using assistive technology to capture her thoughts. In this post, she describes some basic advice she had been given when she first began coping with autism .” >>>

TV personality Dolly Curtis highlighted the music of Chelsea Starbuck Smith and Trio Esprit on her public access television program, “Dolly Curtis Interviews.” Smith of Easton, Carlyn Kessler of Westport, and Emily Watkins of Trumbull, who make up the string trio, will perform and talk about their goals and accomplishments on the cable access television program, Curtis said. >>>

The three youths, ages 14 and 15, are accomplished musicians and are referred to as “prodigies” by their peers, Curtis said. “When I first heard them play I was amazed,” she said. “I didn’t believe it was real. I went to another [event] where they were playing to make sure it was real and it was great. They blew my mind.” This is the trio’s first television performance, according to Curtis. >>>http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=1344&dept_id=433785&newsid=17883463&PAG=461&rfi=9
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Cable television may soon be available to some Eagle Mountain residents — and with it, the ability to watch city government in action. Council members unanimously approved Eagle Mountain’s first cable franchise agreement on Tuesday, said city spokeswoman Linda Peterson. >>>http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/211311/4/
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Telecoms pour money into lobbying
by Lucy Morgan
St. Petersburg Times
02/22/07

TALLAHASSEE – BellSouth spent at least $1.6-million on Florida lobbyists last year, according to newly filed disclosure reports – more than twice as much as any other business spent to influence state government. Why BellSouth and other telephone companies are pouring buckets of money into the political process is clear: They desperately want to pass a bill that would change the way consumers across Florida get their television, Internet and telephone services. >>>

Sen. Mike Fasano, R-Port Richey, a vocal opponent of other telecom bills, said he is introducing a bill that would give counties and cities more control over what happens to consumer services. “The issue is big to the telephone companies,” Fasano said. “Just like with the phone bill a few years ago, spending a few million to make hundreds of millions is a pretty good investment.” >>>http://www.sptimes.com/2007/02/22/State/Telecoms_pour_money_i.shtml
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Government access television and much more
Orange Bulletin (CT)
02/22/07

GATVOC (channel 79) is available to all residents who subscribe to Cablevision. Channel 79 televises meeting of the Boards of Selectmen, Finance, Woodbridge Board of Education and the Amity Board of Education and replays broadcast of these meetings throughout the month. Special meetings are also televised as funding is available. The Department of Public Utilities Control’s decision regarding the re-franchise of Connecticut Cablevision ordered that Soundview (which oversees Channel 79) and the municipalities attempted to resolve Town-specific versus Franchise wide distribution through negotiations.

The GATVOC Commission is presently negotiating with Soundview Media to continue Channel 79 as the Woodbridge-specific channel for governmental telecasts. GATVOC has proposed that it allocate two hours per day, seven days per week for the presentation of regional government programming on WGATV from 3 to 5 p.m. daily. The other 22 hours would be for Woodbridge government programming only. The GATVOC Commission is also in the process of researching additional grant funds to purchase new video equipment and increase taping of more meetings and Woodbridge events.http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=1661&dept_id=9539&newsid=17885327&PAG=461&rfi=9
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Musso: York breaking TV dealWhite Rose TV has become city-controlled TV because a group to oversee station hasn’t been set up, he said.
by Brent Burkey
York Daily Record (PA)
02/22/07

>>> York City Council members said they are tired of the constant debates on President Cameron Texter’s personal life gumming up meetings and Texter’s cutting off the live television feed that goes out to cable television subscribers. Texter is going through a divorce and he feels questions about his personal life are out of line according to council’s rules, Texter has said on multiple occasions. During Tuesday’s council meeting, Texter called for a recess and suspension of the broadcast. It was the fourth time he had done so this year. >>>

Musso said an independent governing committee was supposed to be set up a year ago to oversee White Rose Community Television, which switched from York Community Access Television when Comcast took control of the area’s cable market. That never happened, leaving decision-making to an ad hoc group of city officials. Musso said it’s been his fear that city-run television would become city-controlled televison. That fear became reality as, meeting after meeting this year, Texter turned off the cameras during public comment sessions, Musso said. >>>http://www.ydr.com/newsfull/ci_5279888
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